Abuse
by Cravat of Doom
Summary: Luke is missing, and Hershel Layton must find him. Set after the events in St. Mystere.
1. Missing

**1. Missing**

Layton had very much enjoyed spending his adventure in St. Mystere with Luke. The boy was quite charming, even if he often forgot his manners. That was to be expected from children, however. They were very forgetful beings.

Layton was sure that Luke also had a great experience during the investigation. The boy's eyes would light up every time he saw a new puzzle that needed solving, and when he came about the correct answer, the professor could tell that Luke felt immensely satisfied.

The professor smiled to himself. If Luke grew up to love puzzles as much as he did, he would be very proud of his apprentice.

"What is it, professor?" Luke asked. He was a very curious child.

"Oh nothing, my boy," Layton replied. "Did you enjoy your weekend?"

"Oh, yes! It was the best weekend ever! Who would've thought that everyone was a robot?!" Luke was practically screaming now. It didn't take much to excite him. He tugged on his seat belt.

"Sssh, Luke, Flora is sleeping." Layton's eyes flickered to the back seat, where Flora's face was pressed against the window. "It wouldn't be very nice of us to disturb her. She's been through an awful lot of chaos in the past few days."

Luke looked over his shoulder. "Right. Sorry." He turned red and slumped in his seat.

Layton chuckled and shook his head. Half an hour later, Luke had fallen asleep.

"Luke, wake up. We're here." Layton tapped Luke's shoulder. He opened his eyes.

"You're going to be staying at my house for several days, remember? Come on, it's already midnight."

The professor somehow managed to get both sleepy children inside. Luke, being someone who distracts _very_ easily, immediately forgot what time it was.

"Professor, can I solve that puzzle?" Luke pointed to a puzzle lying on the coffee table.

"Perhaps tomorrow. You need sleep," whispered Layton, for Flora had collapsed on the floor and started to snore loudly. He picked her up gently and walked up the stairs, motioning for Luke to follow.

Once Flora had been placed in the guest room bed (she had still not woken up), the professor pointed to a door. "I only have one extra room. You can stay in mine, and I'll take the couch downstairs."

The next morning proved to be quite different from the professor's usual routine. Layton woke up with a very sore shoulder. When he opened his eyes, he was staring at the carpet. He had fallen off the couch. Lovely.

Gathering all the strength he had (for he still seemed exhausted), Layton stood up. The puzzle on the coffee table had disappeared. Surely Luke hadn't gotten up in the middle of the night...

Layton slowly went up the stairs. His (or rather, Luke's) bedroom door was open. How peculiar. Layton was sure he'd shut it. It proved that Luke was the one who'd taken the puzzle. The professor went inside.

Luke wasn't there. Layton thought that he might have gone downstairs, but in his half-asleep trek to the staircase, the professor had not noticed him. He looked over at Flora's door. She was still sleeping, obviously, as her snores could faintly be heard.

The very tired Hershel Layton made his way to the living room again. Slightly more alert, he noticed the previously missing puzzle sitting on the kitchen table across in the next room. He dragged himself over to it. It was solved, however that wasn't the thing that surprised the professor. Written beside the answer (which, by the way, was "36") was a note.

_Dear Professor,_

_For reasons to complicated to explain,_

_I had to leave early. _

_Don't come looking for me._

_-Luke_

Layton read the note over several times, frantically hoping that Luke would jump out from behind a chair and yell "Surprise!". He didn't.

Luke was gone. The professor suddenly felt quite ill, so he grabbed a nearby vase and emptied the contents of his stomach into it.

Hershel Layton had always been a very responsible man, but now Luke was gone and he would have to face Luke's aunt.

Speaking of Luke's aunt, Velma, she was a very unpleasant woman. Rude, too, and when Layton had come to pick up Luke to take him on the Golden Apple hunt, she hadn't acknowledged Layton or said goodbye to Luke. Layton vaguely wondered why he wasn't living with Luke's parents, for he knew for a fact that they were still living. The professor could've just asked Luke, but being as polite as Layton was, he felt that would've been too personal.

Layton's thought was interrupted by as Flora came down the stairs.

"Why, good morning, profes-" she stopped. "Are you feeling alright?"

Layton had forgotten that he had been holding the newly ruined vase. He didn't move.

"Professor, what's wrong?"

It took the man a few seconds to remember how to speak. When speech finally came to him, he whispered hoarsely:

"Luke....he's gone."

Flora's eyes widened in terror.

_A/N:_

_I know nothing really happened (well, except for Luke disappearing), but I had to end the chapter somewhere. It's my first fanfic, so please don't be too harsh when you review...The second chapter will be posted sometime...eventually._

_And as much as I really want to, I don't own Professor Layton.  
_


	2. Abductor

_A/N: Short chapters are short. I'm sorry for not updating. Thank you to everyone who favourited this story and added it to Story Alert. I don't remember all of your names, but I do appreciate the gesture. You made my day._

**Chapter 2- Abductor**

"Gone? What do you mean, gone?" Flora tried to look calm, but her voice was filled with fear.

The professor showed her the note. She read it over a few times.

"I believe that Luke was abducted." Layton said, "he wouldn't just leave like that. He's a responsible child." Though attempting to remain calm, as the best thing to do in an emergency is to stay alert, the man's voice was weak. He knew it was silly to feel this attached to the child, as he'd only been with Luke for a little less than a week, but Layton felt a sort of fatherly affection toward his apprentice, the need to protect him.

Which of course, he failed in doing. Layton wanted to hit his head against a hard surface. Which he almost did, until Flora looked at him strangely. He settled for wiping his eyes.

As a child, Layton vowed to be the best parent ever, to love and protect the child unconditionally. Luke was the closest thing he had to a son, one of the few people who he considered family, and now he was gone.

The professor had made this promise to himself for a reason. As a baby, his parents brought him to an orphanage, for reasons he was never sure why. For eleven years he sat in that building, watching as children came and went. To keep himself occupied, young Hershel Layton liked to solve crosswords and jigsaw puzzles. He supposed that this was the reason why he was so interested in puzzles now. They were like his friends at the orphanage. When no one would talk to him, the puzzles were always there, waiting for him.

When Layton turned twelve, he was adopted by a professor who was in his late thirties. The man was never cruel to the child, but he neglected poor Layton. He wouldn't celebrate Hershel's birthday, and he'd leave for various trips, not telling Hershel where he was going or when he would return. Once time, when Layton was fifteen, his adopted father left him alone for three weeks without any contact. It was then that Layton promised himself that if, one day, he became a parent, he would show love and affection to his child, and always be there if needed.

"Professor? Please don't cry; I'm sure he'll be back!" Flora's words were enthusiastic, but her tone did not match them.

Layton had been unaware that he had been crying so hard. He tried to regain his composure. Crying in front of Flora would only worry her, and make things a lot worse than they already were. He tried to smile.

"I'm sorry, my dear. I was merely having a flashback."

"Uh.....OK."

"Well I suppose we should wait for a bit, and if he doesn't return, we'll....call the police." The professor's voice broke.

-----

An hour later, after serving Flora blackened pancakes (for he couldn't concentrate on cooking, even when smoke filled the kitchen), Layton picked up the phone. The police arrived a few minutes later. He described Luke to the officers, handed them the note, explaining how he believed it had been a kidnapping. While the search was going on, Layton and Flora could do nothing more than wait for Luke to be found.

It was maddening. Layton felt so useless. He tried to read, but couldn't retain any of the information in the text. Puzzles couldn't even distract him for more than a few minutes. With nothing else to focus on, Layton decided to confront the next problem he had been worrying about. He might as well get this over with...

"What do you want, I'm really busy, you know!" Luke's aunt, Velma was rude, even on the phone.

"This is Hershel Layton, ma'am. You see, I h-have some bad n-news," the professor stammered into the receiver.

"Mmhm. Let's hear it; I'm sure it's important."

"Luke, your nephew, has gone missing."

The line went dead. Unsure of what that should mean, Layton called back. No answer. A few minutes later, he tried again.

"Would you _please _stop calling me?"

"Miss...uh..." Come to think of it, he didn't know Luke's last name, which would most likely be Velma's. He was upset with himself for being so irresponsible. He should have asked Luke when he had the chance.

"That's none of your concern, thank you very much. Now would you mind wrapping this up? I had already told you I was busy."

Hershel Layton was a man of very refined manners. He always remained polite, especially to women. Right now, however, he was losing it.

"Your nephew has been taken away and you say you're _busy!?_" Layton had to resort to whispering, otherwise he'd probably be screaming.

Flora started at her guardian, seeing his obvious anger. Though she had not known him for very long, she had not imagined him as a person who got angry. Whoever he was talking to, she immediately decided to dislike.

The line went dead again. The professor was seeing red. He set the phone back down gently onto its base as sat down beside Flora. He took off his hat and held it in his hands.

"Professor, why do you think someone would want to kidnap Luke? It's not like any of us have any enemies or anything.... right?"

Layton's eyes widened.

Of course.

"Flora, give me that note!"

Flora was confused, but she handed him the piece of paper anyway. Her guardian examined it closely.

On the very bottom, there were two letters. To anyone else, they would make no sense. To Layton however, it was extremely clear.

D.P.

Don Paolo.

-----

_A/N: Leave it to Don Paolo to put his initials on everything he writes. That man has too much pride. I'll try to update a little sooner this time!_


	3. Shot

**Chapter 3-Shot**

"I knew it," said Layton, "he's the only one who would do such a thing."

"Don Paolo? Is he that man who was pretending to be that inspector?"

"Yes, Flora, he is. He's quite sneaky, isn't he? This is my entire fault. He only wanted to take Luke because it would hurt me." Layton felt sick again, but he suppressed the feeling and continued speaking. "He seems to hate me for some reason or another, and though I'm not sure why, I can't shake the feeling I've seen him somewhere before..Hmm... Perhaps not."

"Maybe he's jealous of how smart you are?" suggested Flora, fiddling with the corner of her dress. She was still shaken up over Luke's disappearance, and didn't really feel like talking.

Layton smirked. "Thank you Flora, but I doubt it. It doesn't matter anyway; the main thing is how to get Luke away from him. I have no idea how we're going to do that."

"Professor, do you think you should try to tell Luke's aunt that an evil genius kidnapped him? That might make her a bit more concerned."

"Hmm. I don't see how that could help any more, but I might as well keep trying." Sighing, the professor picked up the phone and slowly dialed Velma's number.

"This gag is getting old fast."

"Ma'am, I believe I have found out who took Luke. A man named Don Paolo. He's very dangerous, so if he comes near you then I advise-"

"D-Don Paolo, you say?" Velma's voice seemed anxious and it had lost some of the sarcasm it once had.

"Yes, do you by any chance know of this person?"

"Well-"

The phone went silent. Layton didn't hear a dial tone, so he knew Velma hadn't hung up on him again. He turned around.

"I'm sorry, professor!"

"What are you talking about?"

Flora pointed to a broken cord on the floor.

"I.... I was going to go upstairs, but when I stood up, I kind of tripped over the phone cord, and.... Well...."

Layton wanted to cry. He was close to hearing something that could have been important, and then he loses connection. He had terrible luck, didn't he?

He inhaled deeply.

"Never mind, Flora, you didn't mean to. Just don't touch that cord, alright? You could get a shock."

"R-right. I'm really sorry!" Flora looked very apologetic.

-----

Several minutes later, after somehow managing to pick up and dispose of the telephone and the pieces of severed wire without killing himself, the professor decided that it was the perfect moment for tea. Tea always made things slightly better, and allowed him to think more clearly about what to do in a situation. Normally these situations had been things like solving puzzles and identifying old artifacts, but it would still help all the same.

He began to prepare what he believed was called "Oasis Berry" when there was a very loud crashing sound coming from the front of the house. Layton ran to the porch and opened the front door.

Inspector Chemley was lying face down on the front stairs.

"Oh, my! Inspector, are you all right?! Here, let me help you up."

Layton tried to pull the very heavy inspector to his feet, only to have him fall down again. He turned the inspector over, so his body was facing upward. Something red caught the Layton's eye, and then all the color drained from his face.

Inspector Chemley had been shot in the stomach.

"Inspector Chemley! Can you hear me?!" Layton knelt down beside the unmoving man and felt for a pulse. There wasn't any. His own heart nearly stopped beating.

There was blood everywhere. Layton was covered in it. He looked up just in time to see a camera take a picture of the scene, then fleeing as fast as possible. Though he only saw the man from the back, he had an idea who it was and what they were planning.

Minutes later, Layton's suspicions were confirmed. He was arrested on suspicion of murdering Chemley. After asking the police about it, he understood why he was put in this situation. There was a "witness" for the whole thing. After asking for a picture of this witness, Layton found himself staring at a man who looked suspiciously like Don Paolo.

-----

"Professor, what's going on? Why are you in here?!" Flora was bawling as she gripped the bars of Layton's temporary cell. He had tried to calmly explain to the authorities what had happened, only to find himself being thrown into solitary confinement.

"Inspector Chemley, the real one, was shot. Whoever did it placed his body on our front steps, and has framed me." He lowered his voice and held up the witness's photo. "I have an idea of who it might be."

Flora's eyes widened as she understood what he was getting at.

"Here's my theory: Don Paolo murdered Chemley and pinned it on me so I can't go looking for Luke," Layton whispered, for there were guards only meters away. "I'm going to have to ask you an awfully big favor, Flora. While I'm in here, try to find out as much as you can about how Velma knows Paolo. Think you can do that for me, dear?

Flora sniffed and wiped her eyes.

"I think so."

Layton smiled sadly. "Thank you. And while we're on the subject, Velma has agreed to look after you until my trial is over. She's being quite kind in doing this, so be sure to thank her, alright?"

"Okay."

Layton tried to hug his adopted daughter through the bars. When he couldn't do that, he kissed her forehead.

------

_A/N: Yay for updating sooner! :D_

_Playing Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box has inspired me to write a new chapter sooner. I snuck in a Diabolical Box reference in this chapter, did you catch it? _


	4. Goat Pancreas

**Chapter 4- Goat's Pancreas**

Flora Reinhold (or Flora Layton, she thought to herself) was never one for change. It really bothered her when her father passed away, and being raised by a town full of robots just felt strange. She didn't like it one bit, though she never dared to complain. Her father worked so hard for her to give her the care she needed.

Having said this, however, Flora didn't mind the change that came with being taken in by the professor. She was tired of sitting in the tower all the time, rarely leaving. She felt like she was one of the princesses in the books her father had read to her years ago, helpless girls who couldn't do anything for themselves. Flora hated feeling helpless. It brought back memories of when her father had just died, and the people of St. Mystere had awoken. Flora remembered how afraid she had been whenever Pauly had suddenly collapsed in the middle of a conversation, and how Flora could do nothing but wait until Bruno arrived to pick him up. It was disturbing.

Being under Velma's care made Flora's past troubles with robots feel like a walk in the park.

Luke's aunt didn't seem to understand that when one has a guest in their house, they should be polite and treat said guest with respect. Flora remained on her best behaviour, thought the same couldn't be said for Velma.

"You, kid, fetch me my book," Velma had yelled across the room at Flora, who was just starting her supper, carrot soup.

"Yes, ma'am."

"And don't open it! Children aren't supposed to read, anyway. They're too stupid."

The last statement shocked Flora, for her father and the professor had both encouraged her to read. She did what she was told, though, and didn't open it. She didn't want to, anyway. The cover had pictures of dismembered body parts on them, some of which Flora didn't even recognize under all the blood. She tried not to look at the novel she handed to the woman, who was sitting in a bright violet armchair.

"You...You... BRAT!" Velma screamed at Flora. Flora's eyes filled with tears, wondering what she could have possibly messed up on while doing such a simple task.

"W-what?"

"You ripped out a page!" Velma pointed to the floor beside Flora. She looked down, and saw the words "...and, using the sword, he cut off Herman's index finger..." She looked away again, pale.

"Perhaps it just fell out?" Flora knew she didn't rip out any pages, and Velma must have known that too, for she watched Flora the whole time.

"No!" Velma stood up, and for the first time in her entire life, Flora was smacked across the face.

She stumbled backwards and fell onto the carpet, shocked and in pain. She touched her cheek gingerly, and it stung quite a bit. The girl burst into tears.

"How....How could you?!"

"Get out of my sight."

Flora ran upstairs, tripping over the carpet twice, into the little guest room that she slept in. It was only her third day at this woman's house, and already she hated it here. What upset her most was that now; she had absolutely no chance at finding any information about Don Paolo from Velma. Flora would be lucky if she didn't get hit again, let alone having conversation with Luke's aunt. She'd let down the professor. That made her cry all over again.

Still hungry, for she had hardly eaten of the soup she'd been served before the book incident, Flora got under the blankets and stared at the mildew-encrusted ceiling, hoping to fall asleep. When she couldn't, she decided to go back downstairs and ask for Velma's forgiveness. Flora knew it was extremely unfair that she should be the one to apologize, but at this point, it was better to just give the woman what she wanted.

Flora crept down the steps, her heart pounding. She wondered if it was a good idea to come down after all, but she couldn't just very well turn around and go back up to her room; Velma had probably heard her already.

The woman was sitting on her garish chair, reading the gruesome book and laughing. Flora doubted it was a comedic novel, and her stomach churned as she wondered what kind of violence that Luke's aunt could possibly be laughing at. Not looking up, Velma addressed Flora by a name the poor girl had never heard before, but knew it must be a word that would never have been acceptable under Layton's roof.

"I thought I told you to get out of my sight."

"You did, but I just came to apologize about the book. It was careless of me to let that page fall out, and I'm sorry." For good measure, Flora picked up the piece of paper on the ground and held it out to the other woman, trying not to look at the repulsive text.

Velma snatched it from Flora and tossed it aside.

"Meh. I already read that chapter. Herman's long since dead by now. They buried his body in-"

Flora coughed loudly, blocking out the sound of whatever was going to come next. Velma didn't seem to notice, and she went on speaking. Flora kept coughing until Velma was finished describing poor Herman's fate.

"...and a goat's pancreas. Anyway, there was no way of knowing that I had read that bit, so unless you were spying on me, you should have thought that I hadn't finished that part. Were you spying on me?" Velma looked slightly paranoid.

"No, ma'am. That would have been terribly rude of me."

Velma's face relaxed. "Good. Now finish your soup like a good little girl and go to bed."

Flora returned to the kitchen, and tried to act as if the last half an hour had never happened. She took a mouthful of soup, which was freezing cold, and stared at the clock. It was seven thirty. She wondered what the professor was doing now. She didn't know what they did in prison.

After finishing the soup (which tasted like some strange combination of spoiled milk and unpeeled carrots), Flora cleaned her dishes and went to put them away. In the cabinet, where the bowls were supposed to go, Flora saw an important looking document. Flora knew that nothing good would happen if she peeked at what was written on it, but she very well couldn't set the bowl on top of the paper, so she removed it and secretly looked at part of what was written.

_...and request you arrive in court no later than eleven thirty a.m. on the seventeenth of October. Your testimony is greatly appreciated, and we thank you for speaking as a witness for the prosecution. _

_Wow, _Flora thought, _the professor's trial is tomorrow as well. I wonder if that's a coincidence._

She looked at the bottom, and knew it couldn't have been.

_Province vs. Layton_

If this was the professor's trial, and Velma was a witness to help convict him, then... Velma was going to lie. There was no other explanation.

But...why? Why would she do such a thing? The professor was innocent.

Flora decided it was best to place the bowl on the document after all. She wanted to erase all memory of the last ten seconds from her mind.

With her mind moving at a hundred miles an hour, Flora made her way back upstairs. Her room was at the very end of hall, which meant she needed to pass by Velma's. The light was on, so Flora decided she would say goodnight to her temporary guardian. Might as well pretend that the whole slapping incident never took place.

When she stuck her head in the door, however, what Flora saw made her scream. Loudly.

Lying on the floor was what looked like a deflated Velma's head. A mask.

Standing beside it, was Don Paolo.

-----

_A/N: Nice name for a title, eh? You probably don't want to know what poor Herman's murder had to do with a goat's pancreas. Anyway, it looks like Don Paolo was masquerading as someone else yet again. Where is Luke in all of this, anyway? You'll soon see. Please Review!_


	5. Another One Gone

**Chapter 5- Another One Gone**

"..._So I hereby declare the defendant, Hershel Layton- not guilty. Thank you for your time_."

Layton left the courthouse quickly, for he didn't want to spend another second in that dreadful place. A wave of relief washed over him. His defense team was certainly...lacking in the defense department, but he somehow managed to be let off the hook. The police were now were searching for Don Paolo, as they recognized him as the true murderer.

_Now to go pick up Flora, and continue searching for Luke_, thought Layton to himself. His first priority, however, was to find a way to get to Velma's.

After hiring a taxi, and paying way too many pounds for what it was worth, Layton clambered up the steep steps to Velma's old Victorian home. As soon as he put his hand on the knocker, the professor had an eerie feeling that something wasn't right.

_Knock._

No answer.

_Knock. Knock._

Layton looked to his left. A mailbox was crammed full of miscellaneous papers, causing the professor's heart to beat slightly faster.

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

"Hello? Flora? Velma?"

Layton, being a gentleman, would never normally take this next action in a regular situation. It was extremely rude to enter one's home without permission.

He tried the doorknob. It was open.

Inside, the professor called out again. No answer.

"Velma? Flora?"

The professor would have thought that perhaps they weren't home, but all of the mail in the mailbox and the fact that the house was quite cold convinced him otherwise.

He began to panic- Layton style.

_Now, what would be a logical explanation for all of this?_ The professor thought to himself as he paced the kitchen. _Would such an unpleasant woman as Velma take Flora on some sort of trip? Probably not. _

Layton went through all sorts of scenarios and dismissed each of them before deciding that desperate times called for desperate measures. He went upstairs.

Looking in every room he passed, Layton's fear grew more and more. It looked as though there had been no one living in the house for quite a few days.

_Flora arrived here...ten days ago, when I had just been arrested. _

Ten days is a very long time if you're living in someone else's house. Just about anything could happen.

After searching almost every room frantically, Layton decided he had no choice but to enter Velma's bedroom.

Layton passed out when he saw a rubber version of Velma's face lying pathetically on the floor.

When he awoke, he was on the (quite filthy) floor, centimetres away from the hideous mask. The professor scrambled to get away from the thing. When he regained his composure, Layton picked up the disguise and examined it carefully. It had such great detail, the only other time he saw a mask like this was when....

Chemley. The imposter...

Don Paolo.

Layton pulled the mask so forcefully that it split in two. No one would take his children and get away with it.

-----

_**10 days earlier.....**_

_*thump*_

Luke awoke _very_ early in the morning, to a strange sound. He became aware of his surroundings. The room, the walls, the bed...

The professor had such a soft bed! It was much nicer than the one he had at Velma's. Not that he stayed with her for very long. He had been living in an orphanage until Velma adopted him, then a month later; he went with the professor on the search for the Golden Apple. He hated the orphanage. It was cold, and the staff was mean.

No meaner than his parents, Luke supposed, for they just dumped him at the orphanage as soon as he was born. They didn't want children. Luke, being quite naive, didn't understand why they had him in the first place, if he wasn't wanted...

*_THUMP*_

Luke heard the noise again, and this time it was louder. He reluctantly got out of the bed, and opened the door. The noise seemed to be coming from downstairs.

It took awhile, but Luke managed to get to the bottom of the staircase. Feeling proud of himself, as he had not tripped in the darkness, Luke wandered into the living room.

He could see the silhouette of someone very tall bent over the couch, holding something that resembled a frying pan.

Luke's eyes widened. The professor said he was going to sleep on the couch, and this person standing in front of him was most definitely not the professor.

"HEY! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE-MMMPPPHH!!!"

Luke could feel a pair of hands over his mouth. They smelled like smoke...and dead fish. Luke had only smelled such an awful stench before, the smell of...

Luke bit down hard onto Paolo's hands. They tasted awful, but he let go of Luke, who ran over to the professor.

Layton was out cold on the couch. The frying pan lay beside him.

_That must have hurt_, thought Luke.

"Professor!" Luke poked Layton's face. "PROFESSOR!"

Layton didn't move. Luke felt for a pulse. He could feel one, luckily.

The same pair of hands grabbed Luke again. He felt himself being shoved into a large sack, and carried out of the house.

"NOOO!!!"

Luke winced when his head hit something hard. He heard a slam, and an engine. He was in Don Paolo's car.

The boy managed to get his head free of the sack, and he was staring out the back window. Tears ran down his face as he saw himself being taken away from the only people he really considered family.

-----

_**Presently**_

The professor made up his mind. He was going to find Don Paolo, and make his life hell.

Because that's what a gentleman does.

-------

_A/N: Well I __**thought**__ I was getting better at updating sooner... Whoops. _

_Reviews are much appreciated, and I still don't own Layton, even after 4 more chapters. I wonder how many it'll take before I own him. _


	6. Ransom

**Chapter Six- Ransom**

"Flora! Wake up Flora, come on!"

Flora's eyelids fluttered open.

"Ow... My head. What happened?"

"I don't know how _you _got here, but Don Paolo kidnapped me. You've been out cold for a few days!"

Flora's eyes finally focused.

"LUKE!" She flung her arms around him. "You're okay! You're okay!" She continued to squeeze him until Luke's face turned red from oxygen deprivation.

"_Can't...breathe..._" Luke managed to choke.

Flora let him go. "Sorry."

She examined her surroundings. There were gears _everywhere_.

"Luke...Where are we?" She had a hunch of where this was, but hoped it wasn't true.

"I've been here before, with the professor. We're in the bottom of the tower, In St. Mystere."

Flora's heart sunk. She knew it.

"Wait... Didn't the tower collapse?"

Luke didn't say anything.

"So we're at the bottom of a pile of rubble, miles and miles away from home, in a place that no one would ever find us?"

Luke nodded.

Flora burst into tears.

"Why? Why did that man do this to us? We didn't do anything to him!"

Luke stared at the wall.

"And why aren't you saying anything? You never shut up! Do you know more than I do?"

"...If I told you, you'd just be more depressed." Luke wasn't acting like his normal energetic self, which was perfectly understandable, given the situation, but it didn't make sense to Flora that he wasn't panicking or anything. He just sat there, perfectly still. It frustrated Flora.

"So, what? We're not even going to try to escape?"

"Door's locked."

"Then let's find another way out!"

Luke finally spoke up. As he spoke, tears cascaded down his face like a waterfall.

"P-Paolo said he was going to kill us if the p-professor didn't meet his r-requirements in -_sniff_- th-three days. After that, he's going to lock us in a trunk and l-leave us in his basement, without f-food. It's already been -_sniff_- one day since Paolo said what he wanted done and the professor didn't do anything."

Flora's mouth dropped open.

"But...Why? Why didn't he do anything?"

Luke just shifted his gaze toward the ground.

Flora stood up and went over to the door.

"I already said it was locked," Luke said.

"No, I hear someth- AAH!"

Flora was flung backwards as the door slammed open.

"Well, well well, what do we have here?" Don Paolo came in, reeking of...something.

Flora would have laughed at how cliché that sounded, had the situation been less dire.

"Little girl, did your friend over here explain what was going on?"

The girl nodded.

"And he told you the lovely way I'm going to end you if Mr Layton doesn't meet his end of the bargain?"

She nodded again.

"How wonderful! Isn't it such a creative plan?" he laughed one of those typical villain laughs. Apparently, he'd studied for the role of the bad guy.

I didn't come up with it actually, it was in that book! You know the one _you destroyed?_" The last part of the sentence was in Paolo's Velma voice. He continued speaking in that annoying contralto tone.

"If I wasn't going to get anything out of it, I'd kill you two now. You're both very bratty, especially the blue one over here."

Luke shank backwards, eyes wide.

"No, please, don't!"

Paolo didn't listen. He picked Luke up by the ankles and flung him at the wall. A sharp _Crack!_ made Flora wince.

"Stop it!" she shrieked.

The kidnapper just laughed and chucked a loaf of bread at Flora's head. It was so hard, her eyes watered when it hit her on her right temple.

"Be grateful, for you're not getting much more than that!"

And with a bang, the door slammed shut as fast as it had opened.

Flora ran over to Luke, who was lying on top of a pile of pointy-looking gears. His left arm was bent backward in a weird position.

"Luke! Are you alright? Open your eyes!"

Luke groaned.

"It...Hurts!"

"Shh, it's OK; you're going to be fine." Flora wasn't sure if these words were meant for Luke or herself. It just wasn't fair, that this evil man could get away with everything, especially doing this to Luke!

"OW! Don't touch it!"

"Sorry."

"I wonder why Paolo chose to masquerade as a woman. He could have just as easily been "Uncle Victor" instead...Unless he's got some gender confused little girl inside of him."

Luke giggled.

Flora's eyes glazed over as the smile fell from her face. "I hope the professor does whatever he needs to do to get us out of here."

"He will, I just know it. He cares for us, I can tell."

-----

_**One day previously**_

Layton decided to return home. There really wasn't much else he could do. The authorities wouldn't be much help; they were searching for the children, yes, but in obvious places. Don Paolo was smarter than that. He wouldn't just toss Luke and Flora in an abandoned warehouse.

That awful feeling of helplessness came over the professor. He had no idea where they were, they could be in Greece, for all he knew. There were no clues. Unless...

Layton went outside, and opened his mailbox. There was a single letter. How ominous.

Running _back_ inside, he grabbed his antique letter opener and ripped open the envelope. It contained a piece of paper with handwritten so messy, Layton, the archaeologist, a man who could read ancient Egyptian characters, could hardly make out what it said. It took a few read-throughs to retain the chicken scratch. At least he could have tried forging Luke's writing again. That stuff was legible.

_Layton -_

_As you're well aware, I have your "children", if you could even call them that. How smart of you to leave Flora alone with such a brutal woman as Velma, I thank you for that. It made my job a lot easier._

_You're quite lucky you managed to get out of court a free man, so I've decided to make you a little deal._

_You can have your precious kids back if you do exactly as I say..._

Layton couldn't believe what he was seeing. How could Paolo expect _that_?! He let go of the paper, and watched it flutter to the floor.

_...and send me 1,000,000 pounds. I expect payment in three days. I don't think I have to tell you keep quiet about this. There are lives at stake._

Layton checked his wallet. 10 pounds. He certainly had a ways to go.

---------

_A/N: That's a lot of dough, folks._


	7. Return to St Mystere

**Chapter Seven- Return to St. Mystere**

Producing one million pounds in three days was a hard thing to think about, let alone do. Layton was frugal with his money, and his income was pretty good, but he never could have imagined that this kind of thing would happen to him.

But it did happen, so he needed a plan. Fast.

Layton considered his options. Unless he was willing to rob a bank, there weren't many ways of getting the money.

There was, of course, that large pile of gold sitting in the back of the Reinhold manor, lying untouched.

As soon as the professor remembered this, he hopped into the Layton mobile and sped down the road as fast as he could toward St. Mystere. It took him a few kilometres before he realized he was going in the wrong direction. He turned around.

After a few minor setbacks, including a flat tire, duck crossings, and three speeding tickets, Layton finally reached the lonely village. He had never thought he'd be returning here, of all places.

Running as quickly as a gentleman can without losing his top hat, Hershel made his way to the manor. He burst into the front room, nearly giving Matthew a heart attack.

"W-well hello, sir, I never thought I'd see you again," the butler stammered.

The professor just stared at him.

"So what may I assist you with, good sir?"

Layton just stood there and blinked a few times before regaining his manners.

"I...uh...Nothing particularly, though I would like to know if I could take a quick peek in your back room."

"The one with all of the gold? Certainly, but whatever for?"

Layton didn't say anything. He couldn't bear to tell Matthew that his next action would kill the robot, literally. Layton ignored the question and descended the stairs.

He had no reason to worry, however, when he peeked into the area behind the bookcase.

It was empty.

Layton felt his pulse rising. He spun on his heel and ran back to the butler, who was still in shock at seeing the professor in such a panic.

"Matthew. This is quite important. Please answer honestly. _Where is the gold?_"

Matthew tugged at his tie, as if he had trouble breathing.

"Well, er, that is a... a very good question! I was wondering the same..." His left eye twitched.

Layton raised an eyebrow.

"I mean no disrespect, sir, but how could you not have noticed someone taking the fortune out of the house? You're here all day."

Matthew stared at the floor. He mumbled something about "blackmail" and "Claudia".

"Pardon?"

The butler looked as if he'd rather swallow a live scorpion than repeat himself.

"That man, that very strange one, Paolo, came here and asked- well demanded, actually- that I let him take all of the gold...or else..." he trailed off.

"Or else what?" Layton asked slowly.

Matthew covered his eyes with his palms.

"Or else he'd kill Claudia."

The cat.

"You gave him hundreds of thousands of gold bars to save a cat's life?"

Matthew merely nodded.

Layton grimaced in pain and without warning, bounded up the stairs. Lady Dahlia was sitting on the couch, brushing her furry little cat. She looked startled at the dishevelled man in the top hat.

Layton took a deep breath.

"Did you tell Matthew to hand over your fortune in order to save your pet?"

Dahlia looked puzzled.

"I beg your pardon?" she asked.

Something clicked in Layton's head. If these people could still walk, talk, and perform any other basic movements, then the gold still must be in its room.

He ran back down the stairs, and into the room behind the bookcase. The gold was still missing... Something was off, though. The floor looked different, almost shiny.

Layton looked up. There were blocks of the precious metal lining the ceiling.

"What the..."

"Why hello, Hershel Layton, I'd never thought I'd see you here!"

The professor spun around. Don Paolo was standing in the doorway.

"You _are _a smart one, professor! I knew you'd follow my plan."

"I...what?"

Paolo smirked.

"When I sent you that letter demanding one million pounds from you, I figured that this would be the first place you'd think of getting such a large amount of money. I was right. Those idiots Matthew and Dahlia always put the cat first, and allowed me into the room to do as I please with the gold. Of course, I couldn't remove it, because then they'd..._die. _And if they died, they couldn't do _this._"

Don Paolo pulled out a dramatically large remote, with a red button on it. Layton almost rolled his eyes as Paolo skipped around the room.

"You really are a hopeless case. Smart, but hopeless. You'd do anything to save your children, wouldn't you?"

Layton didn't say anything. He _would_ do anything for Luke and Flora.

"Family comes first for you, doesn't it?" Paolo said as he pressed a slimy fingernail to the red button. "How pathetic."

Matthew waltzed into the room. His eyes were glowing white.

"Matthew, please tie up this...professor," he spat.

Matthew approached Layton and grabbed his hands before he could do anything. He felt himself being tied up with a thick piece of rope, and shoved into a corner.

Paolo pressed the button again, and Matthew left.

Layton sighed.

"The robot was necessary...why?" he asked.

"It's more fun that way. Besides, you have more important things to worry about. Specifically your life."

The professor didn't move.

Don Paolo kneeled down and gazed into his captive's eyes. His putrid breath made Layton dizzy.

"I'm going to kill you, Layton. You and the brats. I don't really want to kill them; I'm not one to enjoy dirtying my hands more than necessary... In fact, I don't even _need _to kill them. I could have very well gone about this without those parasites. I just took Luke because I knew it would draw you in. You'd search for him, and do whatever I demanded of you to save his life. It was just so convenient when Flora was up for grabs as well. That Velma woman is easy to bribe—for a free trip to Canada, she'd go along with my scheme, and run away for awhile. You understand now, don't you? I don't want money, Luke, or Flora. I just want you dead."

Layton stared intensely into the sorry excuses of beady marbles that Don Paolo had as eyes.

"Don't lay a finger on them," the professor whispered. "I'll murder you before you hurt those children."

And he meant it.

----------

_A/N: Layton is a protective father; he'd do anything for his kids. I wonder how the professor is going to get out of this_ _mess. _


	8. What Hurts the Most

**Chapter 8- What Hurts the Most**

_A/N: The "she" Layton knew about in this chapter refers to Claire. Don't know who she is? Search it up, but beware of spoilers for Professor Layton and the Last Time Travel. _

-----------------

Layton's heart started pounding slightly as Paolo paced back and forth.

"You want to know why I want you dead, Layton?" he asked.

The professor just blinked a few times. He knew better than to speak.

The captor's mouth twisted into a malicious grin.

"Well, besides _her_," Paolo started, for Layton knew exactly who _she_ was. "I was made a deal. A very nice deal, at that. If I managed to kill you -easier said than done- then I would be rewarded. Not in money, but in recognition. You see, I am a man of great inventions. They'd be quite famous right now if I had the cash to promote them. Since I don't, a certain... professor, if you will, has offered to pay for anything I ask for if I can rub you out."

Layton's brain screamed with curiosity. He decided to ignore his plan to stay silent.

"And who exactly is this professor?" he asked carefully. He didn't want to rub Paolo the wrong way anymore than he already had.

Paolo snorted. "You really think I'm going to tell you? Ha! I don't think so. He told me never to tell anyone who he was. Do you think I'm that thick?"

Layton didn't answer.

"And what better place to end your puzzle solving days than here?" Paolo sang. "The sleepy town of St. Mystere, the place where you found the "Golden Apple", the place where you escaped me yet again!"

He paused, unbuttoned his coat, and took out a rather large pistol from his grimy inside pocket. He pressed the barrel to Layton's forehead.

"But it's over now. You're done for. I shall come out victorious for once, no longer shadowed by _you_! You, the little child prodigy, the friendly one everyone wanted to be with. All of the teachers loved you, adored you, but paid no attention to me. You see, I worked hard. Harder than you ever did, to achieve my goals. You had the people skills, however, so they rewarded you. You know what I got in return for having an outstanding average? Do you remember?"

Layton stared at the wall. He was recalling something...

-----

_"...and we give you, Hershel Layton, a full scholarship to the university of your choice!"_

_Layton got off his chair and ran up to the stage, where the headmaster was handing out diplomas and awards. He accepted his with a smile, and turned to the crowd, only to have the grin wiped off his face as fast as it arrived there._

_Don Paolo's seat was empty and people around it looked confused. The young Hershel nearly missed a tall figure running out of the auditorium. _

_"And for having...erm...High marks, we award...uh...."_

_Layton, still standing on the stage, turned to see the headmaster, Mr. Baker, whispering to one of the teachers._

_"Do you remember his name?"_

_"I think it was...Dawn, or something."_

_"But that's a girl's name!"_

_"I don't know, I don't remember the kid! He was kind of pathetic, really."_

_"But he was quite smart, right?"_

_"I think he cheated."_

_The two adults stopped whispering, and Mr. Baker turned back to the audience._

_"Thank you, Hershel, you may step down. Our next award goes to...Mr. Paolo, for, um, having high marks! We award you this plaque."_

_Layton's heart sunk. A plaque? That's it? Don had the same marks he did. His Chemistry one was _better, _actually. So what was with the pathetic piece of wood, when Layton got hundreds and hundreds of pounds?_

_Paolo was still gone. The headmaster shrugged, and threw the plaque into the garbage bin._

_-----_

So _that's_ where he knew Paolo from.

The professor winced as the metal pressed more forcefully against his forehead.

"You never did claim your prize, did you?" he asked in a soft whisper.

Paolo spat on the ground.

"You took it away from me. My future, my life. I couldn't afford university, I could barely afford food! My parents kicked me out; they didn't want a child smarter than they were!"

"I didn't ask for the money, but I wanted a life too." Layton's voice was shaking.

"_You?!_" Paolo screamed. "_You didn't need that money! He was rich! Your adopted father was rich!"_

"If you asked for assistance, I would have helped you," his voice cracked. Funny, it hadn't done _that _in 20 years.

"It doesn't matter now, for I eventually got that degree. But you still took it away from me, kept me from getting it for 10 years!"

The professor stared into Paolo's eyes again.

"So this is revenge, too? As well as that deal you made?"

The captor smiled. "That's right."

"But didn't you just say that you didn't want money?"

"Oh, sure, I'd _like_ money. Who wouldn't? Just not this stuff." He pointed to the ceiling, where gold bricks lay. "Cash is better. I would have been perfectly happy to kill you without making that deal, and even if I don't get paid, I'm still alright with it. I'm over money now, I couldn't care less! But not you. As I said before, I just want you dead, selfish creature."

Layton pulled at the knot behind his back. It was terribly tied, probably to be expected by a robot being poorly commanded.

He kept tugging at it, as Paolo ranted on some more about how Layton was a selfish jerk. Which of course, he wasn't. Very selfless, actually.

Finally, as the kidnapper got to the part where he invented some strange contraption that was good at grating cheese, Hershel got his arms free. Then he untied his legs while Paolo wasn't looking, occupied by pacing around the room and staring straight ahead, only the gun looking at the captive. It was kind of pathetic, on Paolo's part.

Layton stood up, and lunged at Don Paolo, who tripped and fell with surprise. He pried the pistol from Paolo's hands, and pointed it at him. His arms shook.

"Don't move."

Paolo looked like he was about to go insane.

"Y-y-you wouldn't...You _c-couldn't._"

Layton wasn't sure whether he could pull the trigger or not. That thought scared him.

"I'll t-tell you, if that's what you w-want. I'll t-t-tell you it all!"

The professor tilted his head.

"Tell me what?"

"Him! It was him, I tell you! He was the one who made the deal with me!"

"Who?"

"Fredrick Cunning!"

Fredrick Cunning.

_Fredrick Cunning._

Layton dropped the gun. It fell to the concrete floor with a very loud thud.

"My guardian."

Paolo regained some of his composure.

"That's right, Layton. The one who adopted you. He thought it would be very nice to get rid of you."

Hershel shook his head.

"No. No, you're not telling the truth."

"Oh, but I am!" he got up, and dusted himself off.

Layton threw himself at the other man again. They both fell to the floor, Paolo's back making an awful sound when it hit the hard surface.

"You've made our lives hell, Paolo, just leave us alone!" the professor was crying now. _His guardian?_ It wasn't fair. He reached for the gun, not really planning to use it, just to give the other man a scare, but it wasn't there.

Layton's head snapped back to the man he was accidently strangling. Surely he didn't have it...

He released his grip on Paolo's neck, feeling kind of guilty. He expected to be choked to death himself, after giving the kidnapper space to move around. Then many things happened at once.

A loud shot echoed through the room, followed by an awful scream. Layton's vision was cut off, due to an extremely painful stinging in his eyes. Blood.

It wasn't his, though. Layton opened his eyes in time to see Paolo grasping at his chest, blood spurting everywhere.

For a few split seconds, the professor thought he shot the man himself.

Until he heard the voice.

"Oh my God!" screamed a female voice.

It was Flora.

He turned his head around again, faster than humanly possible.

Flora and Luke were standing in the doorway.

Luke was holding the pistol. His eyes were wide, and he didn't move.

Layton's heart skipped about five beats. He tried to stand up.

"Flora...Luke..."

The boy didn't move. He just stared at the body across the room.

"What have I done?" he whispered.


	9. Family

**Chapter 9-Family**

Flora started to cry.

"Luke, you just killed someone! You _killed someone!_"

Layton reached over to Luke and took the gun from his shaking grip. He wiped the whole thing thoroughly with his shirt. He then placed his right hand on the handle, as if to shoot someone.

Luke understood what he was doing. Fingerprints.

"No, professor, don't!"

Layton set the gun down on the floor next to Paolo's body, and turned to his children. He embraced the two of them, and replied to Luke:

"I have to."

"No! You don't!" Luke started bawling.

"Luke, it's my entire fault. I put you in this position, and so I have to take the consequences. I killed Don Paolo, not you. Remember that."

"But...does that mean I have to go back to the orphanage? I _liked _being with you!"

"I don't know. Anything is better than prison for a child."

"I hate that place! I'd_ rather _go to jail!" Luke stomped his foot on the ground.

"I hate that place, too. But it was better than being with Fredrick..." Layton trailed off. He looked down at the ground.

"Who?" Flora asked, mid-sob.

The professor shook his head.

"Tell me everything," he said to Luke, for Flora couldn't really construct a sentence at this point. She looked like she couldn't even breathe properly.

Luke, still slightly hyperventilating himself, tried to explain how he was abducted, and what Paolo did to him. He showed the professor the bruises he got from being abused, and how his left arm was broken in three places. He talked about when Flora was taken as well, and how they ended up in the broken remains of the tower.

"...and if you didn't have the money by then, he'd kill us!"

Layton wasn't sure if he should tell Luke that Paolo didn't really want the money, and he was planning to kill them all anyway.

All of a sudden, he was feeling rather emotional. If he went to jail in Luke's place, then Luke wouldn't be punished. That he knew. But if Luke had no one to live with, (not with Velma being in Canada and probably never coming back) then he'd be forced to move back into the orphanage. And perhaps adopted by someone who was as unloving as Fredrick.

He couldn't let that happen, now could he?

Layton slowly climbed the steps into the main room, followed by Flora. Luke was still in the other room, staring at Paolo.

The professor glanced at himself in a mirror hanging on the wall. He looked awful. Blood everywhere, bags under his eyes, and his hat was gone. He also had quite a few holes in his coat.

"Sir...I'm terribly sorry," murmured Matthew from the corner of the room. He looked like his normal self again. "I didn't mean to do that to you. Something awful just came over me, and I acted against my will."

"It's alright, Matthew," said Layton. "It's over now."

Matthew nodded in agreement.

"I saw what happened, after I could control my movements again. We can just leave him there, I understand what will happen if you report it."

Layton turned back to the door to the room where Paolo's body lay, covered in blood.

What a horrible thing to do, leave a body somewhere. It disregarded the value of life (though not as much as killing in the first place), was extremely disrespectful, and an awful burden to ask of Matthew.

So why, then, did Layton nod his head? He wasn't sure himself, but he had a strong feeling that it was the two children staring up at him, with wide eyes. They couldn't be separated from him, and frankly, he couldn't bear to leave them, either.

He didn't know what to say to Matthew, and he didn't think "thank you" was the right thing to say in this situation. So the professor just gave the butler another nod, and picked his hat up from the floor where it had fallen in his rush to get to the fortune.

Layton led Luke and Flora out the door without a word. If any of them tried to speak, tears would probably follow, so they remained silent, trying not to cry.

"Hershel."

The professor turned to the direction of the sound.

An older man was standing beside the Laytonmobile. He was wearing a long coat, which covered most of his body.

Layton turned to stone.

"No..." he breathed.

"Who is that man, professor?" Luke asked insensibly.

Said professor didn't break his gaze. He was staring at the other professor.

"Fredrick."

His adoptive guardian.

His father.

The old man, Fredrick, covered his face with his hands.

"Hershel... I'm such an awful person..."

For some reason, Layton didn't feel angry. He didn't feel nervous.

Just depressed.

"Why?" he demanded. "Why did you want to kill _your child_?!"

Fredrick shook his head.

"I'm such an awful person," he repeated, wiping his face and looking up at the younger professor. His eyes were red and puffy.

Luke understood.

"Professor... is this..." he trailed off.

"Your father," Flora finished.

Layton nodded, and slowly approached the other man. Gently placing his hands on Fredrick's shoulders, he repeated his question.

"Why?"

"Because...I..."

"Yes?"

"I didn't ask, Hershel, really, I didn't! He threatened me, that man, that Paolo person. He said he'd kill me unless I went along with his plan. Surely you can understand?"

Remembering what Paolo had said, Layton pieced together the situation.

Don Paolo wanted to kill Layton, first because he was jealous, for having more than he did, then revenge, for ultimately the same reason.

Seeing the opportunity to cause the professor even more pain, Paolo wanted to convince his captive that Fredrick had asked for his death.

Paolo's motive seemed to be quite self-centered. In other words...

"That selfish bastard!" Luke voiced Layton's thoughts, apparently understanding the situation at the same time as his guardian. The professor never figured out how Luke managed to figure it out as fast as he did.

"Luke, mind you manners," said Layton half-heartedly, more out of habit than anything. He agreed with Luke's choice of words. He turned back to Fredrick.

"No, I don't understand. You'd rather your child thinking that their own parent wanted them dead, rather than just the selfishness of an overly dramatic inventor?"

"Please don't put it that way..."

"I'm sorry, Fredrick, but I don't understand at all. I would think the obvious choice would be to sacrifice yourself, and save your child heavy emotional scarring."

The older professor backed away from Layton's hands.

"You always were one to make the right decisions, Hershel." Fredrick said, smiling sadly. "Unfortunately, we're not all blessed with that power. I admit to being negligent of you, and I apologize. You don't have to accept, for I know you don't want to."

Layton's face took on an awful expression, one of extreme sadness.

Fredrick continued, whilst walking backwards.

"I think this is where we forever part ways, good man, not that I had been present much before. Raise your children better than I did."

And with that, he disappeared.

_You know,_ thought Layton, _he never did once say he loved me._

"Professor, I'm so sorry," Flora said, as if any of it was her fault. "You're a better person than he was."

The professor crouched down to Flora's height.

"Thank you, Flora. I certainly hope so." He hugged her again.

Luke's stomach made a strange noise.

"Professor, not to ruin the moment or anything, but I haven't eaten in a long time. Can we go soon?"

Layton chuckled for the first time in a long time.

"Yes, Luke, we can."

Hershel led his kids toward the Laytonmobile. After a few miles, Flora fell asleep. Layton felt a strange sense of déjà vu.

Luke was quieter on this ride home, however. He didn't say anything for quite awhile.

---

Eventually, though, he turned his head from the window and looked up at the professor.

"I think you're a great father, professor, and I love you."

Hershel Layton had never heard such a beautiful thing in his life. He began to tear up.

"I love you too, Luke. You and Flora. I'd give my life for you two, no matter what."

He meant it.

----------

_A/N: And that's Abuse. I really enjoyed writing it, and I hope you enjoyed reading it. I thank those of you who took the time to review, I appreciate it. I started this story in May, and it took me slightly longer than expected..._

_Anyway, even after all nine chapters, Layton still isn't mine. How I wish he was! ^_^;_

_Thanks for reading!_

_~Snapefan21 _


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